HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Softball team bested Memphis, 7-4, to clinch the American Athletic Conference series, 2-0, on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Softball Stadium.

With the win, the Cougars improve to 34-19 overall and 12-8 in The American, while the Tigers fall to 36-19 and 10-10.

In total, nine Cougars recorded hits, highlighted by freshman designated player Tierrah Williams’ two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. On the afternoon, Williams finished 2-for-2 with a walk, three RBI and one run scored.

Sophomore second baseman Arielle James and senior left fielder Kaylin Crumpton joined Williams with multi-hit efforts, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-4, respectively.

In the circle, junior Presley Bell improved to 5-3. The native of Liberty, Texas, limited Memphis to two runs on five hits across five and two-third innings of relief of sophomore starter Trystan Melancon.

Prior to first pitch, senior shortstop Mariah Garcia was recognized in a special ceremony as part of “Senior Weekend” at Cougar Softball Stadium.

Junior catcher Brooke Vannoy made her 103rd-consecutive start behind the plate dating back to Houston’s 7-3 win over Boston College on Feb. 12, 2017, at Cougar Softball Stadium.

KEY INNINGS1st | The Cougars scored one run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, all via walks, junior right fielder Maya Thomas singled threw the right side of the infield for a 1-0 advantage.

2nd | Memphis scored two runs in the top half of the second to take a 2-1 lead.

3rd | In the bottom of the third, Houston plated two runs to reclaim the edge at 3-2. Junior first baseman Savannah Heebner and sophomore third baseman Sarah Queen each singled, before Williams advanced the pair with a sacrifice bunt. After freshman Aspen Howie drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases with two outs, junior Rachel Hill delivered Heebner and Queen with a pinch-hit single down the right-field line.

4th | Both teams scored two runs in the fourth. Trailing 4-3, James and Crumpton each singled to leadoff the bottom frame. After a sacrifice bunt from Heebner pushed the pair to second and third base, respectively, Williams and sophomore pinch hitter Breezy Burton each recorded RBI singles to put the Cougars back up, 5-4.

6th | In the sixth, Williams added insurance to Houston’s lead with a two-out, two-run homer to left field for the 7-4 final.

ON DECKHouston goes for the series sweep on Sunday. First pitch is slated for noon, and Crumpton will be recognized in a special pregame ceremony.

COUGAR SOFTBALL STADIUM UPGRADES
Thanks to a record year for the Diamond Club, Houston Softball announced the addition of an LED, Daktronics video board (completed) and indoor practice facility as major upgrades to Cougar Softball Stadium.

According to Daktronics, the new outfield video board is the sixth largest at an on-campus softball stadium in the country and the second largest in the state of Texas. The board, which sits just beyond the left-field wall, stands 29-feet-3.1-inches tall and measure 24-feet-4.0-inches wide with 576 square feet of space (24-feet by 24-feet) for live video, instant replays, statistics and scoring information, graphics and animations, and sponsor messages. The display features a 13HD pixel layout for crisp, clear imagery for a great view from every seat at the stadium.

The indoor facility, which will replace the current batting cage down the right-field line, will measure 70-feet by 80-feet. The 5,600-square-foot space will feature five batting cages, measuring 60-feet long by 15-feet wide each, with retractable nets for the space to be used in a variety of ways. The facility will have a synthetic turf floor and will be temperature controlled.

In total, the two capital projects represent $1.2 million in upgrades.

SHASTA PASS
The Houston Athletics Ticket Office is once again proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2017-18 season. For just $80, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Volleyball, Soccer, Women's Basketball and Softball home games.

The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial saving as single-game tickets start at $5 for all four sports. To purchase a Shasta Pass, call 713-GO-COOGS or CLICK HERE.

JOIN DIAMOND CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Softball program by joining the Diamond Club. To find out more information about the Diamond Club, visit UHCougars.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH. For more information, CLICK HERE.